Tim Webert of Plymouth was at his son’s hockey game in 2014 when he witnessed the tragedy of a seemingly healthy young boy dying because of an...

May 1, 2019

On-demand care!

By Sarah Jackson

Sarah Jackson is the Editor of Minnesota Parent magazine. She lives in Minnetonka with her 10-year-old son. Write her at editor@mnparent.com.

It’s healthy for parents to take breaks from child rearing, especially when the parents involved have children with special needs.

However, simply jumping on a babysitter app or care site doesn’t work for families who require specialized, on-demand care.

Fortunately, two Minnesota moms have created a first-of-its-kind disability care-booking app that connects parents of children with special needs with qualified, vetted, experienced caregivers.

Joshin is the brainchild of Melissa Danielsen and Melanie Fountaine, twin sisters who both live in North Oaks with their families. They were inspired to create the app by their brother, Josh, who had special needs and tragically died in 2009.

Launched in February, the app is currently available in the Twin Cities market to connect families with disability caregivers known as Joymakers, who are thoroughly screened and background-checked.

Rates are typically $16–$22 per hour, plus a Joshin service fee of 20 percent. Subscription options are $24–$34 per month. Learn more at joshin.com.

To read a story by Danielsen and Fountaine — about growing up with a sibling with special needs — see A sibling's view.